…as I was saying, I stayed with Tina for the duration of the Festival. She lives with two dogs and three cats in a magical cottage at the far far end of a farm a couple of miles out of Tulbagh. I say “magical” because Tina is an artist in every way – her home, her work, her clothes, her sense of style, her gorgeous eccentricity, her personality and perspective on the world. She makes magic, she sees magic in everything – she is magic!
I first knew Tina when I was 19 and she was 22; we were part of a group of friends living in Braamfontein (Johannesburg), young, foolish, risk-taking, trying to get a grip on who we were and how we wanted to live. (None of us got it right, by the way – it seems to have taken a good twenty-five-plus years for some of us to even get close.) We lost touch, moved cities, married, demarried, developed new careers, grew up a bit – and found each other on facebook a year ago (gotta love facebook).
Here are some photos I took of Tina’s home. They convey her sense of the exotic and the baroque far better than I ever could with words.
The bedroom I slept in:
An early self-portrait:
Reflections of fantastical visions:
And a tiger mirror from Paraguay that I covet:
Tina’s house was part of the art exhibition side of the Tulbagh Spring Arts Festival. Ribbons and signs along the road indicated the way and, once visitors arrived, they could follow the ‘golden nuggets’ through the garden and round to the gazebo for snacks and a wine-tasting.
As we say in South Africa, local is lekker!
To be continued…
Nice piece of work 
Wow! I love the heads-on-plates, very much indeed! Did you dream sweeter dreams in that bedroom, Jill?
oh yeah….
Wow! I just loved the colour as well piece of artwork used all over the home showing the sense of creativity with uniqueness.
I know, it’s like being in a rainbow :-)
Thanks for commenting.
Jill,
It sounds like you had a wonderful weekend with your friend and how much fun it must have been to stay in such a cool house. I love Tina’s style and her artwork is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Tamara
It was cool. It was so cool it was hectic! hahahaha
What an amazing house Tina has! Great style! TFS! x
She does indeed. Tina can turn an old plastic table and a ripped sari into a work of art!
It is my dream to live with two dogs and three cats in a magical cottage at the far far end of a farm!
Yes, Alison, but what would you do with your husband?….
Thank you, all, for the lovely comments on my humble hoose. It is indeed a wonderful life. It was simply wonderful having Jill to stay after all these years. Thanks facebook!